Abhayagiri 2015 Winter Retreat

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness

Ajahn Pasanno, Ajahn Karuṇadhammo, and Ajahn Ñaniko

Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery, Redwood Valley, California

January 1 to March 31, 2015

“Which four? There is the case where a
monk remains focused on the body in & of itself—ardent,
alert, & mindful—subduing greed & distress with
reference to the world. He remains focused on feelings... mind...
mental qualities in & of themselves—ardent, alert, &
mindful—subduing greed & distress with reference to the
world.” – Satipaṭṭhāna
Sutta (MN 10)

Introductory
Talks

Broadly
Established Mindfulness
– Ajahn Pasanno,
January 6,
2015

After the Abhayagiri community
begins the retreat with the ceremony of taking dependence, Ajahn
Pasanno explains the meaning of dependence, the importance of
mindfulness, and how mindfulness connects with the eightfold path. He
explains how to look after both oneself and others with mindfulness
using the Simile of the Acrobat (SN
47:19).

Right
Effort and Mindfulness–
Ajahn Pasanno,
January
7,
2015

Ajahn Pasanno reflects upon the
question: “What kind of effort do we need to conform with what
the Buddha means by mindfulness?” He answers in terms of the
four aspects of right effort, the seven qualities of Dhamma the
Buddha taught to Upali (AN
7:79), and the Buddha's description of how he crossed the flood
(SN
1:1).

Mindfulness
and Clear Comprehension–
Ajahn Pasanno,
January
8,
2015

The commentary explains
sampajañña (clear comprehension / alertness) as clear
comprehension of purpose, suitability, domain, and non-delusion.
Ajahn Pasanno describes how each of these factors relate to the
practice of mindfulness.

Ardent,
Alert, and Mindful–
Ajahn Pasanno,
January
9,
2015

Cautioning against trusting our
assumptions about the nature of mindfulness, Ajahn Pasanno reviews
several key passages in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta
(MN 10).

The contemplation of the parts of
the body can be used to reduce sexual craving, to still the mind, and
to induce insight into the nature of the body. In the first
slideshow, Ajahn Karuṇadhammo gives a brief description of the
structure and function of each of the thirty-two parts. Page 37 of
the Abhayagiri
Chanting Book lists the thirty-two parts in Pali and English.
Many of the slide show images come from 32parts.com,
an internet resource for body contemplation.

Questions:

(29:05) What is the length of an average
small intestine?

(29:24) How long does it take food to
make its way through the digestive tract?

(25:09)
How does the general sense of awareness fit into the jhana factors?

Mindfulness
the Gatekeeper
8
– Ajahn Pasanno,
February1,
2015

Right Mindfulness
p. 31-34

SN
47:4, “At Sālā”

Iti
90, “Foremost Faith”

Questions:

(5:50)
Is
it easy for a person with attainments to deal with the world?

The
Structure of Breath Meditation

(Chapter 6
in Right Mindfulness
by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu)

The
Ānānpānasati Sutta
(MN 118)
– Ajahn
Pasanno,
February2,
2015

This sutta describes how the
sixteen steps of mindfulness of breathing fufill the four foundations
of mindfulness, which in turn fufill the seven factors of
enlightenment.

Questions:

(23:37)
Which
Pāli word is translated as “fading away?”

(24:38)
How does nirodha differ from arising and ceasing?

(27:52)
How do you practice with painful feeling?

(30:53)
What does “know the mind as mind; know feeling as feeling”
mean?

(35:11)
Should the sixteen steps be practiced simultaneously?

(39:43)
“How do I get me some of that non-grasping stuff?” -
Ajahn Sucitto

The
Structure of Breath Meditation
1
– Ajahn Ñaniko,
February
5,
2015

Right Mindfulness
p. 93-96

Book of the Discipline
Part 1 p. 116-121, Pārājika 3 origin story

AN
9:36, “Jhāna”

SN
54:8, “Simile of the lamp”

The
Structure of Breath Meditation2
– Ajahn Ñaniko,
February
6,
2015

Right Mindfulness
p. 96-99

SN
22:79, “Being devoured”

SN
36:11, “Alone”

Questions:

(31:49)
Why
does the Buddha describe perception in terms of colors but
consciousness in terms of tastes?

(37:40)
Could you say that perception is identification whereas consciousness
is more refined?

The
Structure of Breath Meditation3
– Ajahn Ñaniko,
February
8,
2015

Right Mindfulness
p. 99-100

Lam Rim
teachings

Forest Desanas,
p. 52

Unpublished
Luang Por Baen talks

The
Structure of Breath Meditation4
– Ajahn Ñaniko,
February
9,
2015

Right Mindfulness
p. 100-105

SN
46:53, “Fire”

Questions:

(16:46)
Can
you speak about when to use which aspects of satipatthāna?

(18:22)
Could anyone give examples of how to apply the enlightenment factor
of piti when the mind is sluggish?

The Urgency
of Practice

A
Gift
of Dhamma
– Ajahn Ñaniko,
February
10,
2015

A
talk given by Ajahn Chah to the parents of a monk visiting Wat Pah
Pong. The talk appears as Chapter 11 in Food
for the Heart.

Questions:

(16:01)
What
is the Thai that is translated as “mind” and “mind
objects?”

The
Method of Developing Calm
– Ajahn Ñaniko,
February
13,
2015

Chapter
2 in The
Natural Character of Awakening by
Tan Chao Khun Upālī Guṇūpamājahn. A
discussion of Tan
Chao Khun Upālī as
a scholar, administrator, and practitioner follows the reading.

Liberation
in the Palm of Your Hand
– Ajahn Ñaniko,
February
15,
2015

MN
9, Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta, Right View
(excerpt)

Readings
on the suffering of birth and aging from Liberation in the Palm
of Your Hand by Pabongka Rinpoche

Questions:

(10:42)
Can
you share perspectives on birth from the Thai Forest Tradition?

(19:28)
Do the mental faculties of meditators diminish as they age?

Chanting
for Ruth Denison
– Ajahn Pasanno,
February
19,
2015

Ajahn
Pasanno reads email from Ruth Denison's caretakers describing her
declining health condition and leads the Abhayagiri community in
chanting blessings for this elder teacher followed by a ten-minute
meditation and dedication of merit. Ruth
passed away on February 26.

Fleshing
Out the Four Tetrads

(Chapter
7 in Right
Mindfulness
by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu)

Fleshing
Out the Four Tetrads 1
– Ajahn Pasanno,
February20,
2015

Right Mindfulness
p. 109-112

SN
51:20, “Analysis”

Questions/Comments:

(17:30)
Discussion
of Ajahn Geoff's translation “practice jhāna.”

(35:12)
What is a synonym for lassitude?

Fleshing
Out the Four Tetrads 2
– Ajahn Pasanno,
February21,
2015

Right Mindfulness
p. 112-113

MN
44, Cūḷavedalla
Sutta, The Shorter
Series of Questions and Answers

AN
8:63, “In Brief”

MN
101, Devadaha Sutta,
At Devadaha

AN
8:81,
“Training”

Questions/Comments:

(12:36)
Explanation
of ambiguous Aṅguttara Nikāya numbering

(13:26)
Why
did the Buddha ask the monk to develop meditation in many ways?

(33:56)
Are the four frames of reference the same as the four foundations of
mindfulness?

Fleshing
Out the Four Tetrads 3
– Ajahn Pasanno,
February22,
2015

Right Mindfulness
p. 113

AN 4:94, “Concentration”

AN
9:36, “Jhāna”

Questions/Comments:

(12:36)
Does
AN 4:94 undercut the whole debate about whether to practice insight
meditation or samādhi first?

(22:20)
Does the Buddha mean that one can enter and emerge from these
attainments at will?

(23:30)
After emerging from these attainments, can one function in the world?

(30:50)
Why is the deathless described as an element?

(32:27)
Do you have to emerge from jhāna to contemplate the
characteristics of the aggregates?

(35:35)
Sometimes I find applying awareness exhausting.

Fleshing
Out the Four Tetrads 4
– Ajahn Pasanno,
February23,
2015

Right Mindfulness
p. 113-115

MN
101,
Devadaha
Sutta, At Devadaha(p. 43 in Right
Mindfulness)

MN
95, Cankī Sutta, With Cankī

Questions/Comments:

(36:07)
What
is the significance of sitting to one side of the Buddha?

Fleshing
Out the Four Tetrads 5
– Ajahn Pasanno,
February24,
2015

MN
95, Cankī Sutta, With Cankī

Questions/Comments:

(27:00)
Was it commonly accepted that the composers of the Vedas
could not assert “I know, I see?”